Review | Kent Ito “Tawagoto”

“Tawagoto” presents an alternative facet of Kent Ito’s musical style, rendering it a captivating release that seamlessly follows his impeccable debut EP.

Title: 戯言 (Tawagoto)
Release date: 30/08/2023
Label: A-Sketch/Astro Voice
Genre: Acoustic pop-rock

Tracklist:

1 - 戯言 (Tawagoto)

Track analysis:

1 – Tawagoto 

“Tawagoto” kicks off with a semi-acoustic pop-rock sound led by longing guitar riffs.

Its intro is a good appetizer for the laid-back, warm yet nostalgic sound of this song. The pacing is comfortable, the overall mixing is clean and clear and it sounds pleasing to listen to.

The verses have a certain nostalgia to them, as the guitars lead the way. The drums are simple and ride on a comfortable tempo while the bassline is a subtle presence in the background.

When the chorus kicks off, Kent Ito goes all out with his falsetto as the electric guitars go big on the reverb, giving this song an even more intense nostalgic vibe (something that winks at shoegaze rock and post-rock). The acoustic guitars however have something different going on in them. 

They are warm and cozy, making the listener feel this song with a smile plastered on their faces.

The bridge brings cool drums and guitar face-off. This isn’t something too complex but the way it breaks the pacing of the song yet how seamlessly it fits it, is quite pleasing to me.

As far as the performance goes, expect Kent Ito to deliver something quite different from everything else he has done so far as a solo artist. 

He is performing in a simplistic way, more focused on having pleasant melodies than sounding fancy. As such, you will find plenty of falsetto in this performance, raising the tension in the instrumental but never trying to overshadow it.

If you and I make a comparison of his performance in this song, it must be to how he performs with UMake. “Tawagoto” sounds like a song that belongs to UMake more so than to Ito as a solo artist.

But then again, let’s not forget he is the composer for UMake and much of his solo sound is yet to be defined as he is still in his early stages as a solo artist. These variables make it so that it’s safe to say neither you nor I know what may arrive in the upcoming releases (albums or otherwise).

As “Tawagoto” wraps up, I’m left wondering which direction Kent Ito will go next for his music, especially as he is coming from a really strong mini-album (Hanabi).

“Tawagoto” has piqued my curiosity for what comes next and has shown another side to Kent Ito as a solo artist (especially for fans who have not followed his work with UMake).

“Tawagoto” is available for streaming on Spotify.

Do not support piracy. Remember to support Kent Ito by streaming via official outlets.